Friday, December 28, 2012

Dr. Helen Hambly

In 2003, Helen Hambly joined the Capacity Development & Extension program in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph. She teaches communication and development as well as research design and qualitative analysis.

Before joining the UoG, Helen worked in international R&D programs in Africa, North Africa and Latin America. She worked for several years with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Broadly defined Helen’s research interest crosses information, communication and rural society. In Ontario, her research focuses on capacity development, media and communication process for agricultural knowledge translation and transfer, including the importance of rural broadband. With longstanding interest in development issues in Africa, especially those affecting women farmers, Helen has a project called Linking Agricultural Research and Rural Radio in Africa. Helen coordinates an OAC trust fund known as the Don Snowden Program in Communication for Development which has an important legacy in Canada and the world for communication and community development. With support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Snowden Program Helen has set up a multi-media lab for rural communication studies in SEDRD with links to universities around the world as well as community partners such as the campus/community radio station in Guelph CFRU 93.3 and the Keewaytin-Okimakanak Network.